Unsettled weather keeps fishermen off lake

Unsettled weather conditions have kept all but the hardy off the lake all week. The good news is the recent rains actually warmed up the water as the early morning surface temperatures have been ranging from 46-49 degrees. One fisherman said he found water as warm as 53 degrees late on Tuesday afternoon.

The bass fishing at Clear Lake has slowed to a crawl and most fishermen are happy to catch one or two fish for a day's effort. The other factor is a lack of fishermen. On most days there have been fewer than six boats out on the lake. Even the local fishing guides haven't been out.

Most of the action is taking place in the south end in areas such as Rattlesnake Island and the pipeline near Redbud Park. For some reason the fishing has slowed at Henderson Point. That was that hot spot for weeks but the fishing has slowed the past two weeks. A few bass are being caught along the docks at Lucerne. One fisherman reported catching three bass in the deeper water off Rocky Point in the Lakeport area.

It was expected that the lake would see more fishing activity this week because of an American Bass Association (ABA) tournament scheduled for Sunday. But the tournament was canceled for low water. This is surprising because there is plenty of water to launch a boat and most of the ramps and the popular fishing areas have plenty of water.

Deep-running crankbaits and swimbaits remain the top lures. There is still very little action on the "A" Rig but that could change any day as more fishermen visit the lake.

Twenty-five teams have signed up for the Lake County Chamber of Commerce Team Tournament as of Thursday. The tournament is scheduled for March 22-23. The entry fee is $200 per team and includes the big-fish option. The tournament pays back 100 percent of the entry fees. All the local tackle shops have the entry forms or you an call 263-5092 for more information,

Catfish action is rated good for those using jumbo live minnows or cut bait. The best action is still in the south end of the lake. A few catfish are being caught by shore anglers at Lakeside County Park. The Clearlake Oaks/Glenhaven Catfish Derby is scheduled for May 16-18. Last year the derby drew more than 1,000 contestants.

Trout action at Upper Blue Lake remains strong and limits are common. Dave Brabec of Clear Lake Outdoors fished the lake from his kayak Wednesday and limited out within an hour. He said that Power Bait was the ticket for trout ranging in size from 12-14 inches.

The hitch workshop held on Wednesday evening drew a large crowd and provided a wealth of information on the different species of fish in Clear Lake. The workshop was sponsored by the Chi Council and the purpose was to get volunteers to assist in counting the hitch as they migrate up the streams flowing into Clear Lake in preparation to spawn. The Clear Lake hitch have been disappearing at a tremendous rate and could be placed on the endangered list.

One of the workshop keynote speakers was University of California scientist Greg Giusti, who actually brought in a frozen adult hitch. Giusti also provided an excellent talk on the fish in Clear Lake and their place in the overall ecology of the lake. According to Giusti, there are 21 species of non-native fish along with 10 species of native fish in Clear Lake. The most common fish is the silverside minnow, an introduced species that competes with hitch for food. They are both plankton eaters.

The hitch are a traditional food source for the Pomo Indians living along the lake and the tribes have been seeking federal grants to restore the hitch population by improving stream habitat.